Columbia and Waterloo receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Columbia
Waterloo
Opportunity
78 · Top 10%
vs76 · Top 13%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
72 · Top 40%
vs72 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 44%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
71 · Top 25%
vs79 · Top 15%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs84 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
75 · Top 17%
vs69 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Columbia | Waterloo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,127 | 11,129 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $107,606 | $98,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,601 | $47,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,055/sq mi | 1,343/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $293,000 | $249,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,128 | $886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.4% | 78.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.0% | -0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.0% | 37.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.4% | 5.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 21 | 38 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 162.5% | 26.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.8" | 40.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.5 min | 29.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.4 | 41.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.35 | 16.37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.9% | 43.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 35.8% | 50.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 15.9% | 20.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Columbia
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Waterloo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Columbia, IL · Waterloo, IL · How this is calculated: methodology